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How about eliminating libraries and provide vouchers for Kindle Unlimited for the poor? Work with Amazon to create some kind of Amazon library using Kindle as t

How about eliminating libraries and provide vouchers for Kindle Unlimited for the poor? Work with Amazon to create some kind of Amazon library using Kindle as the platform. People with money don’t need public libraries — you can buy pretty much anything easily. People spend $18 on a McDonalds meal, $9.99 for an ebook is nothing. Big city libraries are mostly homeless shelters at this point. I’m not going to a public library to use the World Book Encyclopedia like I did 35 years ago. Pretty sure most people aren’t. I’m not going to check out some music CDs — I have Apple Music. Unless it’s some kind of rare collections library for academic research, the average library doesn’t need to exist. It’s a vestige like Blockbuster Video. It would be cool though if people could buy library access for university digital libraries. Being able to access journal articles is pretty awesome.

leotravis10 3y ago
Very awful take, Brian. Don't you realize that libraries are under attack by mostly all fronts (governments, politicians, publishers, copyright cartel, right wing zealots just to name a few) plus they're on the front lines of the country's problems because our government are too corrupt to do anything to help the marginalized and underprivileged. https://www.axios.com/2024/02/18/libraries-ebooks-hoopla-libby-book-ban-censorship https://www.axios.com/2024/02/18/libraries-ebooks-hoopla-lib... https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39474151 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39474151 Also read here: https://buttondown.email/ninelives/archive/the-coming-enshittification-of-public-libraries/ https://buttondown.email/ninelives/archive/the-coming-enshit... https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36998643 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36998643
deleted 3y ago
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cubecul 3y ago
I am on the commission overseeing a major public library system. I strongly disagree with your interpretation of what libraries do. First, the real estate presence of the library is extremely important. Children's storytime is one of the strongest drivers of foot traffic. Some of the buildings act as designated cooling centers during heat waves. They are community centers and gathering spaces for local organizations. Also, just because you can spend $10 on an ebook does not mean others would choose to do the same! That's important money to many people. Otherwise, here are some other things I've seen libraries do that I think your comment underestimates: - supplies reading materials to jailed inmates - helps new residents navigate city services - manages the city archives - provides wifi access for the 10%+ of a big city that does not have wifi at home - gives free books to build book collections at home - loans tools and other "maker" equipment Not all libraries are funded well enough to do the above, and the specific definition of a library in 2024 is very hard to nail down - basically converges on a community center. All I'm saying is that libraries are making concerted efforts to break out of the traditional definition ("gatekeeper of information") - you should check out your local library to see all that they do!
- rahimnathwani 3y ago
  My city has a population of 800k. The library's annual budget is $200MM. I wonder what proportion of the population uses the library system at all. I can't imagine it's more than 25%. If I'm right, the cost is at least $1,000 per library user per year. This seems like a lot. (Of the $200MM, only $22MM is spent on books/ebooks/media aka 'collections'.) The libraries are generally comfortable and well maintained, but given the cost I wonder whether the major functions (books, space, wifi) could be provided more cheaply by Amazon and Wework.

leotravis10 3y ago

Very awful take, Brian. Don't you realize that libraries are under attack by mostly all fronts (governments, politicians, publishers, copyright cartel, right wing zealots just to name a few) plus they're on the front lines of the country's problems because our government are too corrupt to do anything to help the marginalized and underprivileged. https://www.axios.com/2024/02/18/libraries-ebooks-hoopla-libby-book-ban-censorship https://www.axios.com/2024/02/18/libraries-ebooks-hoopla-lib... https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39474151 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39474151 Also read here: https://buttondown.email/ninelives/archive/the-coming-enshittification-of-public-libraries/ https://buttondown.email/ninelives/archive/the-coming-enshit... https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36998643 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36998643

deleted 3y ago

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cubecul 3y ago

I am on the commission overseeing a major public library system. I strongly disagree with your interpretation of what libraries do. First, the real estate presence of the library is extremely important. Children's storytime is one of the strongest drivers of foot traffic. Some of the buildings act as designated cooling centers during heat waves. They are community centers and gathering spaces for local organizations. Also, just because you can spend $10 on an ebook does not mean others would choose to do the same! That's important money to many people. Otherwise, here are some other things I've seen libraries do that I think your comment underestimates: - supplies reading materials to jailed inmates - helps new residents navigate city services - manages the city archives - provides wifi access for the 10%+ of a big city that does not have wifi at home - gives free books to build book collections at home - loans tools and other "maker" equipment Not all libraries are funded well enough to do the above, and the specific definition of a library in 2024 is very hard to nail down - basically converges on a community center. All I'm saying is that libraries are making concerted efforts to break out of the traditional definition ("gatekeeper of information") - you should check out your local library to see all that they do!

rahimnathwani 3y ago
My city has a population of 800k. The library's annual budget is $200MM. I wonder what proportion of the population uses the library system at all. I can't imagine it's more than 25%. If I'm right, the cost is at least $1,000 per library user per year. This seems like a lot. (Of the $200MM, only $22MM is spent on books/ebooks/media aka 'collections'.) The libraries are generally comfortable and well maintained, but given the cost I wonder whether the major functions (books, space, wifi) could be provided more cheaply by Amazon and Wework.